Hiroshima Electric Railway Co., Ltd. | |
Native Name: | 広島電鉄株式会社 |
Native Name Lang: | ja |
Romanized Name: | Hiroshima Dentetsu kabushiki gaisha |
Type: | Public (Kabushiki gaisha) |
Location: | 2-9-29 Higashisenda-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-8610, Japan |
Industry: | Transportation (streetcar, bus), real estate |
Num Employees: | 1,377 |
Foundation: | June 18, 1910 |
Owners: |
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is a Japanese transportation company established on June 18, 1910, that operates streetcars and buses in and around Hiroshima Prefecture. It is known as for short.
The company's rolling stock includes an eclectic range of trams manufactured from across Japan and Europe, earning it the nickname "The Moving Streetcar Museum".
From January 2008 the company has accepted PASPY, a smart card ticket system.
This is the longest tram network in Japan, with 35.1km (21.8miles).
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the USA took place on 6 August 1945. 185 employees of the company were killed as a result of the bomb and 108 of its 123 cars were damaged or destroyed. Within three days, the system started running again. Three trams that survived or were rebuilt after the bombing continue to run 75 years afterwards.[1]